The informal meeting on the UN80 initiative also allowed ambassadors to share their opinions on the reform agenda, spear by Secretary General António Guterres In March.
The UN80 is centered on three work components focused on efficiency and improvements, an implementation of the mandate and structural changes and the program’s realignment throughout the United Nations system.
UN improvement
It also aims to strengthen UN capacity to respond to global challenges such as conflicts, travel and climate crisis, while effectively managing external pressures, such as the narrowing of budgets and increasing political divisions.
“” I think that the initiative of the UN80 is often characterized, but I think I think, simply as an exercise in reducing the economy in the economy“Said Guy Ryder, an under-secretary general for the policy and the president of the working group supervising the plan.
“But the secretary general was quite clear by saying that While we must respond to the situation of resources, the overall intention of the initiative is to strengthen and improve the functioning of the United Nations system. »»
Find out why the UN80 counts in the world in our explanator here.
Generalized impact
Mr. Ryder alongside the United Nations Chandramouli Ramanathan controller (who prepares and supervises the budget and manages the organizations of the organization) presented updates on two hollows of work during the morning session of the meeting of a day.
He put the ground with a slideshow describing the background of the UN80 and the circumstances confronted with the UN today.
Over the years, he has adopted some 40,000 mandates delivered by “a constellation of fairly numerous and complex entities”, more than 140.
In 2023, the world organization provided some $ 69 billion in support and services worldwideWith “the lion’s share”, $ 31 billion or approximately 45%, going to humanitarian action.
This was followed by development, $ 21 billion (30%), peace and security, $ 9 billion (13%) and human rights, $ 1 billion or less than one percent.
“We believe that the world’s population, in one way or another … is linked to the United Nations World Agenda,” he said. In addition, some 440 million lives are directly affected by its development work and 140 million people in crisis situations receive support.
Resource reduction
Ryder said that the 69 billion dollars mark two years ago represented “a peak” and that it is estimated that the UN had $ 50 billion in resources available today in the midst of “a significant situation of uncertainty”.
This 30% reduction means: “We are at 380 million people that we are able to reach directly in development work, and we are 110 million to reduce the emergency situations of our humanitarian expenses.”
In the light of this context, “perhaps we can rationalize the way in which we implement the mandates that you put back; Perhaps we can optimize the structures that form this entities archipelago, ”he suggested.
“The success of the UN80 initiative depends on the possibility of increasing the impact that our work in the United Nations system has on the people we are here to serve.”
Proposals to improve efficiency
Mr. Ramanathan informed the workstream One delegates. He said that a working group was created to develop concrete proposals to improve efficiency, reduce duplication, normalize services and move functions to existing service stations, if applicable.
The “exhaustive list” includes measures such as the consolidation of existing human resources, finance and purchases in unified support centers. The process would start in New York and Geneva while they welcome the greatest number of entities and staff members of the secretariat.
Another proposal implies that centralized payroll operations in three global treatment centers, against 10 locations today.
The working group finalizes the proposals to be submitted to the Secretary General and “if they are approved, they will be integrated into the revised estimates for the budget of the program proposed in 2026 for the examination of the General Assembly before September 1,” said Ramanathan.
“Separately from the initiative of the UN80, we examine the program’s budget proposals for 2026 in order to obtain between 15 and 20% reduction for 2026, including a 20% reduction in the workforce, after reduction, but he emphasized the preservation of capacities at entry levels and the reduction of senior positions where it is possible,” he added.
A “universe of mandates”
Mr. Ryder returned in the current work course two, where the first step involved mapping “the universe of mandates” that the UN implements, initially emphasizing the departments and offices of the secretariat, peacekeeping operations, political missions, regional commissions and other bodies.
The Pact for the future And The 2030 agenda for sustainable development were among the most frequently mentioned mandates.
The global “landscape” of mandates means that the secretariat serves some 400 intergovernmental bodies and around 27,000 meetings each year and Processes approximately 2,300 pages of documentation on average each dayRaising around $ 360 million a year.
A register of mandate resources has been produced and a report should be available by the end of July which will shed light on the way.
Concern about the proposed budget cuts
During the session, several representatives expressed their point of view on the UN80, such as the Iraqi ambassador, Dr. Abbas Kadhom Obaid, who spoke on behalf of the 77 -year -old group and China.
He expressed his concerns about the budget reductions of 15 to 20% offered and the 20% reduction in staff, asking for more information on how these figures have been determined.
“This is important because we know that the departments, the divisions, in the funds, programs and agencies of the organization, vary considerably,” he said.
“We must also protect geographic and gender balance in the context of any reduction in staff. As the group has repeatedly reiterated, questions of transparency, responsibility and inclusiveness are essential during this process. ”
Adjustment for the future
The meeting took place a few days before the 80th anniversary of the signing of the Charter of the United Nations June 26, 1945, as President of the General Assembly Phillémon Yang noted in his opening remarks.
He said it was time to “think about the last 80 years and all that this organization has reached, and also for a while to turn to the future”, so that the UN can stay in shape – and ready for the next 80 years.
Publicado anteriormente en Almouwatin.
